Submission to Sharpening

I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions. (Colossians 1:24)

Sharpening a knife seems like a simple thing to us, yet if we were to imagine a knife with feelings we would understand that the act of sharpening is actually painful. Dragging a rough stone across your edge over and over to scrape off small bits of metal but the outcome is a sharp edge that makes it more useful for it’s intended purpose!

The road of discipleship is much the same, except God uses people we don’t care for, situations we didn’t choose and other rough experiences that are painful in the midst, but if we open our hearts and mind we will see how they are designed to sharpen us and make us more useful in our Kingdom calling.

We don’t get to choose who or what will sharpen us, but unlike the knife we can either refuse to be sharpened when possible, but when we are in circumstances that can’t be avoided we can refuse to submit and learn.

God is a gentleman and will never force us to learn, but the byproduct of hard circumstances without a heart seeking God’s will and purpose will leave us bitter and confused.

Be on the lookout for the stones that come across your path today, and learn to see how they are intended to sharpen you, not harm you.